This is the time of year when our family calendar is bursting with activities, with everything from end-of-school year events (yup, we’re already gearing up!), to soccer games, and of course travel. Road trips especially. We want more road trips in our lives! We do plan on air traveling a lot too this summer, but ahhh…there’s nothing a good ol’ road trip can’t do, especially when you don’t want to invest too much time, or money, or even energy on getting away for a bit.
So look out for more of those, because we sure are!
Our latest road trip took us to Newport, RI. I will say that the only immediate thought that sends chills down my spine when I think about a trip in this direction of the East Coast, is the traffic getting there. I mention this because it really can suck so much of your travel time. Avoid going after work on Fridays, or after work ever (I know, easier said than done – which is why we always get stuck), it’s just torture.
But, once you get past it, arriving to Newport is heavenly. I love so much about this town. The architecture and history. So much history. The water and seafood. And because we went during low season, it wasn’t overly crowded or busy anywhere.
We stayed in Hotel Viking, opened in 1926, still has a lot of historic details throughout. The rooms are velvety and ornate and bright. Their indoor pool is spacious and pretty, and I love all the outdoor seating space where you can enjoy your morning coffee or tea (though sadly, we were there too early in the season and had to sit inside).
Best of all, the hotel is centrally located and within walking distance to some fabulous shops and restaurants. A short walk takes you right into the Newport Waterfront, where we stopped into The Black Pearl for some freshly made clam chowder and then the The Cookie Jar for fresh-out-of-the-over chocolate chip cookies.
We quickly learned that the best start to our mornings was with a walk through the Cliff Walk, past mansions, wildflowers, and of course that beautiful eastern shore waterway.
Speaking of mansions, they are the reason to visit this coastal town any time of year. So many beautiful, historic, architecturally stunning and awe-inspiring former homes of the rich and famous, are located in this area. The Breakers, The Marble House, The Elms…all with their unique characteristics and personality, now museums, open to the public for everyone to enjoy.
It’s a fun city to walk through, ride your bike through (I would recommend renting one), and photography.
In addition to the mansions, we took some time to tour Fort Adams. It was a bright, cool day and the view from the top of the fort was fabulous.
The boys had fun putting together a video about their experience that we hope you will enjoy:
Girl Gone Travel Presents: Touring Fort Adams with Liam and Aidan from Girl Gone Travel on Vimeo.
In the meantime, check out all our photos and Instagram videos collected here on my Storify: A weekend in Newport and make sure to book your stay early. The summer weather brings a lot more visitors and you wouldn’t want to miss out on getting your fabulous room in this truly beautiful town.
I dedicate this post to my darling friend and PR professional Rebecca Madan Kollares. May she rest in peace.
